On 3 November 2011, the Royal College of Physicians hosted a workshop to explore issues surrounding shared decision making (SDM) in clinical practice. Their report, Shared decision making, captures some of the learning from the event and outlines key themes discussed and debated on the day.

The workshop was planned in partnership with the Health Foundation and The King’s Fund. The RCP invited key theoreticians in the field of shared decision making, and leaders in national programmes delivering partnership approaches to care, plus representatives from the medical royal colleges and specialist societies, to explore what this means both for patients, and for clinicians and their practice.